obsidianus

Latin

Etymology

Named after Obsidius, who was, according to Pliny, the Roman who discovered the stone in Aethiopia.

The more common nomen Obsius was used by Sillig, but the correct name was Obsidius. Both names are of Italic (Sabine/Samnite) origin and ultimately come from Proto-Italic *op(i)s, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep- (“to work, toil”) (compare the goddess Ops).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ob.si.diˈaː.nus/, [ɔps̠ɪd̪iˈäːnʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ob.si.diˈa.nus/, [obsid̪iˈäːnus]

Adjective

obsidiānus (feminine obsidiāna, neuter obsidiānum); first/second-declension adjective

1. (relational) obsidian

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

	singular				plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	obsidiānus	obsidiāna	obsidiānum		obsidiānī	obsidiānae	obsidiāna
genitive	obsidiānī	obsidiānae	obsidiānī		obsidiānōrum	obsidiānārum	obsidiānōrum
dative	obsidiānō	obsidiānae	obsidiānō		obsidiānīs
accusative	obsidiānum	obsidiānam	obsidiānum		obsidiānōs	obsidiānās	obsidiāna
ablative	obsidiānō	obsidiānā	obsidiānō		obsidiānīs
vocative	obsidiāne	obsidiāna	obsidiānum		obsidiānī	obsidiānae	obsidiāna

References

• George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897).